Give Me Five A Day!

Lesson Plan 2005 Florida Department of Health

Developed by Mary Stickney, RD, LD

WIC Program, Orange County Health Department

GoalTo promote nutrition education, counting, physical activity, and literacy with youngchildren.Objectives for Children The children will state how many fruits and vegetables they need to eat a day to stayhealthy. The children will count 2 fruits and 3 vegetables. The children will say the names and colors of some fruits or vegetables.Objectives for Parents The parents will state how many servings of vegetables their children need each day. The parents will state how many servings of fruits their children need each day. The parents will state the preschool childrens serving size for the Fruit Group and theVegetable Group.Procedure1. Wear your Give Me 5 A Day! apron, if you have one. Invite children into the room byoffering them a fruit or vegetable plush toy to hold during story time. Tell them that afterthe story is read that the fruits and vegetables will be tired and will need to go back inthe basket for a nap.2. Have children sit criss-cross applesauce (crossed legged) in a circle with the teacher.3. Go around the circle and ask each child what fruit or vegetable he/she is holding.4. The teacher says: Today we are going to talk about eating five fruits and vegetables aday. Fruits and vegetables keep us healthy and give us energy. They help our eyessparkle and our skin glow.5. The teacher reads the title of the book, Give Me 5 A Day, and the names of the authors,Kathy Reeves, Brenda Crosby, Jennifer Hemphill and Elizabeth Hoffman.6. The teacher reads: Give me five, give me five, give me five a day.7. The teacher high fives the children as she reads this sentence. Dont forget to do this- the children love it.

8. The teacher continues to read. When the teacher reaches a page that has some of thefruits or vegetables on it that the children are holding, point to one and say: What is thiscalled? Is anyone holding this? Hold it up for everyone to see.9. The teacher continues to read the story and, along with the children, does the movementactivities described in the book.10. (optional) The teacher can also used colored copies of fruit and vegetable cartoons fromthe book to count with as story is read.Exploring ActivityThe teacher asks the children, How many fruits and vegetables do you need to eat a day tostay healthy?The teacher says, Thats rightfive a day.The teacher then says, Give Me Five to each child and high fives them.The teacher then pulls three felt vegetables out of her apron pocket and lets the childrentake turns placing them on the felt board.The teacher says, Lets count to three. The teacher points to each vegetable as they count.The teacher then pulls two felt fruits out of her apron pocket and lets the children take turnsplacing them on felt board.The teacher says, Lets count to two. The teacher points to each fruit as they count.The teacher then says, Lets all count them together--1, 2, 3, 4, 5. That makes five a day.You need five fruits and vegetables a day to stay healthy.Share Time with Parents Tell parents we all need to eat at least 2 servings of fruit a day and at least 3 servings ofvegetables a day to equal 5 a day. Show them what a serving size of a fruit and vegetable looks like for a preschooler byusing the food models. Tell parents to let children help them in the kitchen preparing the fruits or vegetables.Children can wash the produce or put them into the serving bowl. Talk with parents about eating a rainbow of colors of fruits and vegetables. Ask parents if they would like to share any ideas that have helped their children to eatmore fruits and vegetables. Remind parents that the most important thing they can do to help their children learn toread is to read to them. Ask parents to complete the goal setting question (Attachment 3). Give each parent a copy of the Nutrition Tips for Parents (optional).

Extending and Reinforcing Activities (Optional)

1. Five A Day Glove Craft Idea (See Attachment 1)The teacher then pulls out a Five A Day glove with the fruits and vegetables attachedwith Velcro and says:Look, two fruits and three vegetables make five a day. (Wiggle each finger one at a timeas you say this.) Lets count them: 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.The teacher then says:Can you point to the purple grapes?Can you point to the orange carrot?Can you point to the red tomato?Can you point to the green broccoli?Can you point to the yellow and white banana?Let children make their own 5 A Day glove (Attachment 1)Have children count to five using their own five a day glove.2. Movement TimePlay a song from the Give Me Five A Day! CD with the children. Ask children to partnerwith a friend or parent and Give Five to each other while the music is playing. Havechildren dance and move to the music.3. Munch TimeBring 2 different fruits and 3 different vegetables for the children to taste. Be sure to givechildren a hand wipe before they eat. Have them count the fruits and vegetables on theirplates. Ask them the colors of the fruits and vegetables.4. 5 A Day Hand Craft (Attachment 2)Materials Needed for Lesson Plan Fruit and vegetable plush toys: Fruit Seedies and Veggie Friend Seedies by Gazelle~$2.30 each from Neat Solutions 1.888.577.6328 or www.neatsolutions.com Basket and plastic fruits: ~$20 fruits and vegetables www.lakeshorelearning.com Give Me Five A Day! apron (optional) deedee@creativepockets.com Give Me Five a Day! bookhttp://www.doh.state.fl.us/family/wic/Documents/Five_A_Day/fiveaday.htm Food Models http://www.enasco.com/http://www.nutritionexplorations.org/catalog/preschool.asp Copies of Attachment 3 that have been cut Felt Board and felt fruits and vegetables: ~$19.95 each for board and ~$7.95 for eachfruit and vegetable set from Neat Solutions 1.888.577.6328 or www.neatsolutions.comOR Make your own fruits and vegetables to put on felt board as shown on pages 13-17 ofthis document.

Attachment 1Five A Day GloveCraft ActivityChildrens gloveLatex gloves (small or extra small)CrayonsBlack and white cartoons of grapes, banana, tomato, broccoli, and carrotScissorsGlueHave children color fruits and vegetables. Then let children or parents cut them out and glueone to each finger of the glove. Have children count the fruits and vegetables on his/herfinger.

Pictures for Teachers Glove - Laminate or use clear contact paper and then cut.

Pictures for Childrens Glove - Have children and parents color and cut.

Attachment 2Five A Day Hand Craft ActivityYou will need the following:White paperCrayonsPencilsScissorsPictures of fruits and vegetablesStaplesCraft sticksHave children trace their hand on paper and cut it out with parents help. Have the childrencolor two fruits and three vegetables and cut them out. Next, let the children glue one toeach finger of the cut-out hand. Staple cut-out hand to craft stick.

Attachment 3 - Parent Goal Setting (English Version)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------What did you see or hear today that you think your child would like to do at home?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------What did you see or hear today that you think your child would like to do at home?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------What did you see or hear today that you think your child would like to do at home?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------What did you see or hear today that you think your child would like to do at home?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------What did you see or hear today that you think your child would like to do at home?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------What did you see or hear today that you think your child would like to do at home?

Fruits and Vegetables for Felt Board

Nutrition Tips for Parents

Let your child help choose and fix them.

Sprinkle vegetables with a little grated WIC cheese.Mix vegetables into casseroles, meat loaf, orspaghetti sauce.Serve raw vegetables and dips to your child who isfour years of age or older.Stir-fry vegetables in vegetable oil with herbs orspices.Offer your child vegetable juice.

But fruits and vegetables cost too much!

Buy them in season.

Try shopping at a Farmers Market or a fruit stand.Canned and frozen varieties often cost less.Buy fruits and vegetables instead of expensive snackfoods like chips and sodas.Grow them in a home garden and let the kids help.

I dont know how to use fruits and vegetables!

Eat them raw.

Add lettuce and tomato to a sandwich.Freeze WIC juice for healthy frozen fruit juice bars.Add fruit to cereal or yogurt.Add raw broccoli or cauliflower to a salad.Shred carrots, zucchini, or cabbage and mix in withyour favorite meatball or soup recipe.Bake quick breads with added fruits or vegetables.

But others in the house wont eat them. They just go to

waste!The best way to teach your child healthy eating habits isfor YOU to set the example. Get ideas or recipes fromWIC staff, your friends, and family to help you add morefruits and vegetables to your familys diet. BE A ROLEMODEL!